Peter e



(No Model.)

P E. SHRK.

TOBACO GUTTER.

Patented Jan. 25, 1887vl ilniTnn STATES PATENT Trice.

PETER E. SHIRE, OF BLUE BALL, PENNSYLVANIA.

TOBACCO-GUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming, part cf Letters Patent No. 355,603, dated January 25, 1887.

(No modclJ To @ZZ whom it may concern: Y

VBe it known that LAPETER E. SHIRE, of Blue Ball, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in TobaccoCulters, of which the following is a specification.

At the present day there are known in the art various machines for cutting scraptobacco in order to adapt the same for use in cigarmaking and for other purposes. As commonly constructed these machines are objectionable on account of their expense and because they require the material to be repeatedly passed therethrough in order to effect its reduction to the proper condition.

The aim of my invention is to provide a niachine which shall he of cheap and simple construction, which will reduce the material at one operation to the required degree et'iineness,and which will admit of its cutters being conveniently resharpened at will.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section of my machine on the line rv .c of Fig. 2. Fig 2 is a top plan view ofthe machine. Fig. 3 is a lon' gitudinal section on the line y y of Fig. 1, through one end ot the cutting-rolls.

In the drawings, A represents a stationary bed or frame of anysuitablc form, giving sup-- port to two upright inetal plates, B, which are bolted firmly to its opposite ends and provided with bearings for the journals of three horizontal rolls, C, l), and E. The journals are extended through t-he plates to the outside. At one end the middle roll,D,is provided with a handcrank, F, or equivalent means of rotating the san1e,and with a pinion,G,which corninunicates motion to pinions II and I, applied to the ends oi' the adjacent rolls, whereby the several rolls may be driven positively in the directions indicated by the arrows.

Each roll is constructed,as shown,with a se ries of parallel circumferential collars or shoulders, a, whichare undercut on one side, as shown at al', brought to a sharp cutting-edge, as shown at ai, and inclined backward on the opposite face, as shown at ai.

The top and bottom rolls,C and E, present their cutting-edges toward the left, while the intermediate roll presents its cuttingedges in the opposite direction.

rlhe several rolls are so adjusted in relation to each other that the cutting-edges of the middle roll,D,overlap and pass closely by the edges ofthe other two. The result oi this arrangernent'is that the rolls C and D cooperate and forin,in eiect,one pair of rotary shears, while the rolls D and E co operate and forni a second pair of shears.

Above the roll E, which is somewhat below the level ofthe middle roll, I arrange alongit-udinal vibratery feeding-board, K, hung on horizontal pivots and operated by a pitinan, Lconnecting its lower edge with a crank-shaft, BI. This crank-shaft is provided with alarge ily-wheel, N, and also with a small pinion, O, through which it receives niotion frein a geen wheel, 1),' applied to the journal of roll D. By this arrangement the ily-wheel may be given a high velocity, so that it will insure a steady motion ofthe rolls.

In advance of the rolls is located a feed table or hopper, Q, having a perforated bottoni to permit Ithe discharge of the dust and waste material. This hopper is arranged in posi4 tion to deliver the material between the rolls C and D. In order to prevent the material from adhering to the cutting-rolls, I provide opposite each roll a crossbar, R, having a series of fingers, S, which project between the cuttingilanges ottheadjacentroll, acting as Scrapers or clearers to loosen the material which may be carried around thereon.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Motion being imparted to the rolls in the direction indicated b v the arrows, the tobacco is fed from the table Q between the upper rolls, C and D. In its passage between these rolls it is threaded or divided by their numerous cutting-edges, and delivered on top of the roll E and against the vibratory board Ii. This board, acting in conjunction with the rolls D and E, causes the material to pass downward between said rolls, where it is subjected to a second cutting operation, and thus reduced to a proper condition for use.

I am aware that in .a tobacco-cutting niachine two rolls with annular cutting-flanges have been arranged for joint operation; but I believe myself to be the first to construct a machine in which an intermediate cutting-roll is arranged to co-operate directly with two rolls on opposite sides thereof, so that the tobacco in passing once through the machine is subjected to two distinct reductions.

Owing to the fact that the ilanges a are undercut on their active faces they may be quickly and accurately sharpened by grinding them away on their side faces. This particular form of the fianges is also advantageons,in that the material is immediately released, so that it will not adhere to the faces.

In order that the cutting-edges of the adjacent rolls may be brought in the proper relation to each other, and to compensate for the wear or theirireduction by grinding, I arrange the rolls C and E to play endwise in their bearings to a slight extent, and secure to the frame, adjacent to each of these rolls, a plate, T, bearing at one end against the. frame and at the opposite `end against the journal of the roll, and secure'the same by a bolt, U. By

tightening this bolt the .roller may be forced l endwise, so that its flanges will bear with more or less pressure against those on the adjacent roll. Y

Having thus described niyinvention, whatI claim is l. In a tobaccocutting-1nachine, the combination of two rolls provided with circumferential knives or edges facing in one and :the same direction, and an intermediate roll provided with circumferential knives facingin the opposite direction, the knives of said intermediate roll being arranged to cooperate directly with the knives of both the other rolls, where by the tobacco slit or shredded bythe first and 3 5 Y 8. In combination with the intermediate 45` roll, D, provided with pinion G and crank F, the cooperating rolls C and Eiand their pinicns, the crank-shaft M, the gears connecting the same with the roller D, and the vibratory board K, connected with the crank-shaft. 5o

4. In combination with the roll D, provided with circumferential `cutting-edges, the two, rolls C and E, provided with circumferential cutting-edges, and both arranged to co-oper ate with the roll D, and adjusting devices T1 5 5 U, substantiall y as described, for adjusting the rolls C and E endwise independently of each other, whereby the edges ofthe roll D may be maintained in close connection with the edges ofboth the companion rolls. 6o

In testimony `whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 1st dayof` June, 1886, in thepresenceof two attesting witnesses.

PETER E. SHIRKI.

Witnesses.:`

Davis 'Wannen Gao. H. RANCK. 

